Find out how popular the first name Adelie has been for the last 21 years (from 2003 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Adelie by gender

Based on the last 21 years of data, Adelie is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 25 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Adelie.

The history of the first name Adelie

The name Adelie has its origins in the French language and culture. It is derived from the Germanic root "Adal," meaning noble or nobility. The name first emerged in the early medieval period, around the 8th or 9th century CE, in the region of modern-day France.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Adelie can be found in the ancient Frankish chronicles, where it is mentioned as the name of a noblewoman who lived during the reign of Charlemagne. It is believed that this early usage of the name contributed to its association with nobility and high social status.

In the 11th century, the name Adelie gained further prominence when it was adopted by a prominent French noble family, the House of Burgundy. Several members of this influential dynasty bore the name, including Adelie de Bourgogne, who lived in the late 11th century and was known for her patronage of the arts and her involvement in the Crusades.

Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, the name Adelie remained popular among the French nobility and aristocracy. Notable historical figures who bore this name include Adelie de Montfort (1192-1246), a powerful Countess of Montfort and a key figure in the Albigensian Crusade, and Adelie de Champagne (1160-1206), a French noblewoman and patron of the arts.

In the 18th century, the name Adelie gained further recognition when it was chosen by the French explorer and naturalist Jules Dumont d'Urville (1790-1842) for a species of penguin he discovered during his Antarctic expeditions. The Adelie penguin was named in honor of his wife, Adelie Dumont d'Urville, further cementing the name's place in history.

Other notable individuals who bore the name Adelie include Adelie Rieu (1853-1932), a French writer and feminist activist, and Adelie Landry Hine (1871-1937), an American educator and suffragist who played a significant role in the women's rights movement in the United States.

While the name Adelie has its roots in French nobility and history, it has since been adopted and used in various cultures and regions around the world, albeit with varying spellings and pronunciations. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its rich historical significance and its association with nobility, grace, and strength.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Adelie was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Adelie, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!